The Nigeria Police Force has paraded four suspects allegedly linked to an organ harvesting and human trafficking syndicate operating in Nasarawa State.
The suspects, arrested during a sting operation in Auta Balifi, Karu Local Government Area, allegedly recruited vulnerable young people under false pretences and facilitated the illegal harvesting of their kidneys, with police also alleging that official documents were forged to support the operations.
The suspPolice probeects are Emmanuel Ode, 23; Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja; Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, also a nephrologist and acting director of clinical services at the hospital; and David Idoko, 25.
The police said Ode disclosed that on April 24, 2026, he lured a 22-year-old man identified as Samuel Ezekiel to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja, where his kidney was allegedly harvested.
Ezekiel was reportedly paid $1,250, equivalent to about N1.7 million at the prevailing exchange rate, for the organ.
A second victim also alleged that Ode lured him to a hospital in 2022, where his kidney was harvested. He was reportedly paid N7 million.
The suspects and their alleged accomplices targeted vulnerable and uneducated young people in Nasarawa State and neighbouring areas, exploiting their financial difficulties to obtain consent for illegal organ harvesting.
Also Read: Police deny VDM, knowledge of underground kidney trade in Abuja
“Evidence gathered indicates that the suspects forged official documents, including victims’ names, National Identification Numbers, birth certificates, age declarations, affidavits and consent letters to facilitate these criminal activities,” the statement said.
The police reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling human trafficking and organ harvesting networks across the country and protecting vulnerable citizens from exploitation.
The arrests come amid recent allegations of kidney trafficking brought to public attention by social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
VeryDarkMan had, in a series of social media posts, alleged that a young man approached his non-governmental organization indicating that his left kidney was missing.
Around the same period, viral social media posts claimed that large numbers of young people living in Nyanya, Mararaba, Karu and neighbouring communities had sold their kidneys, with an alleged agent in Mararaba buying the organs.
However, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command denied receiving or confirming any report of such activity. The command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said it had “neither received nor confirmed any report of such nature” and that no official statement to that effect had been issued by the police.
The command urged the public to disregard the unverified reports to avoid creating fear and panic. It also called on anyone with credible information about suspected organ trafficking to report to the nearest police station or the command.
PUNCH
